Research on Information Science & Public Libraries http://publij.ir
Research on Information Science and Public Libraries - Journal articles for year 2012, Volume 18, Number 2Yektaweb Collection - http://www.yektaweb.comen2012/12/11http://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=213&sid=1&slc_lang=en
Role of Public Libraries in Increasing Social Capital: A Case Study of Tehran Cityhttp://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=214&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this research is to study the role of public libraries in increasing social&nbsp;assets and the essential components for creation and development of those assets.<br>
<strong>Method: </strong>In this research, a qualitative approach and an underlying theory method have been used. Of all the public libraries in Tehran, four of the best ranks were selected.&nbsp;By a theoretical sampling method, selection was also made of 41&nbsp;library&nbsp;members,&nbsp;16 librarian, and 53 citizens from the potential population&nbsp;of library users. The required data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews.&nbsp;The collected data were analyzed&nbsp;using a theoretical coding method.<br>
<strong>Findings: </strong>The findings show that public libraries have failed to play a key role in the development of social assets for citizens. The results suggest that the factors which cause a shortage of social assets in public libraries include the low quantity&nbsp;and quality of library services, low social interaction in public libraries, citizens' unequal access to information and people&rsquo;s distrust in the organizations that manage public libraries.<br>
<strong>Originality/value: </strong>This research is the first one which has dealt with the role of public libraries in social assets. With regard to the use of an underlying theory strategy, it is an attempt to work out a theory and to suggest the necessary components to be used by public libraries for creating social assets.&nbsp;<br>
&nbsp;Rahman EbrahimiAn Introduction to Strategic Control: A Case Study of the Strategic Perspective of the Iran Public Libraries Foundation
http://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=215&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this research is to present a strategic control model for performing and assessing the strategies and strategic perspectives of the public libraries foundation.<br>
<strong>Method: </strong>The present research is a fundament-oriented exploratory case study. The data were collected by a review of the literature in library and deep interviews.<br>
<strong>Findings: </strong>Strategic Control has been proposed after the organization perspectives and strategies accomplishment control. The basic problem of the strategic program of organizations is the gap between ideas and ideals and the organizational activities. Strategic control models have been proposed to present solutions to bridge the gap between the ideas and the strategic operations. At present, the equal assessing model of performance has come to be of general use as one of the strategic control models in organizations. The strategic perspective of the public libraries foundation as an important and senior document of a nongovernmental public foundation is faced with the problem of the gap between ideas and actions.&nbsp; Describing the capabilities of this model and adopting a case study method, the present article tries to solve the mentioned problem and to analyze the results of using this model in nongovernmental public organizations.<br>
<strong>Originality/Value</strong>: The present research can be a good starting point for making the strategic perspective of the public libraries foundation operational.<br>
&nbsp;Vahid KhasheiThe Financial and Administrative Law System of the Iran Public Libraries Foundation
http://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=216&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this article is to identify the legal characteristics related to administrative and financial affairs of the public libraries foundation. It tries to study the contradictions and weaknesses of these affairs, to present a legal analysis for resolving the contradictions, and to make the corresponding law system transparent in order to embody the concept of &lsquo;ideal office&rsquo;.<br>
<strong>Method: </strong>By using a descriptive approach and with a direct reference to documents (documentary method), the data and the relevant documents were described. Then, by comparing and analyzing the data and documents, desirable conclusions were provided.<br>
<strong>Findings: </strong>The administrative and financial law governing the public libraries foundation can be defined by the two means of the particular laws and regulations of that foundation and the legal structure of nongovernmental public institutions governing this foundation. The analyses presented in this study show that, while administrative and financial entity and independence have good results including technical decentralization and specialization of library affaires, office fluctuation and lack of transparency as well as misappropriate financial control on this foundation are major weaknesses. Studies show that solution to these administrative and financial contradictions is not necessarily incorporated, nor is dissolution of foundation structure. But the best solution is to modify the approved law of 2003 in order to create a unique and inclusive management matrix for libraries and to modify the board of trustees.<br>
<strong>Originality/ Value:</strong>&nbsp; The findings of this study can help officials and head office managers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the administrative and financial system governing public libraries foundation. Also, the presented suggestions help them in proper organizational decision and policy making. By using the legal principles established in this study such as legal entity, financial independence, budgetary system, and financial monitoring and by describing and analyzing the law and the principle of public law, an administrative and financial system can be devised for the public libraries foundation.<br>
&nbsp;Esmail AjorlooA Study of Application of TQM (Total Quality Management) in the Library, Museum and Documentation Center of the Islamic Parliamenthttp://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=217&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose: </strong>The present research aims to study the use of TQM in the Islamic parliament library, museum and documentation center.<br>
<strong>Method: </strong>A descriptive survey method was used as the research method. The data were collected by a questionnaire. The population included all the 180 managers and staff members of the Islamic parliament library, museum and documentation center. Using a simple random sampling, 63 subjects were selected. The collected data were analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics.<br>
<strong>&nbsp;Findings: </strong>The findings show that the average of four leadership criteria equals 11.91, continuous improvement equals 10.98, process approach equals 9.9, and staff contributions equal 9.2. Compared with the average of 12.5 and according to the standards assigned for the 5 items, the obtained indexes are lower than the average level. The average of the three indexes of the systematic approach to management equals 8.4, the real approach to decision making equals 9.10, and the mutual and beneficial relation with suppliers equals 7.64 which are lower than the normal level compared with the standard average assigned for the 4 items. Just the index of &quot;users' attention&quot; is equal to 12.4 which nearly amounts to the average of 12.5. From the test of the research hypothesis, it emerged that use of TQM in the library, museum and documentation center of the Islamic parliament is significantly low.<br>
<strong>Originality/ value</strong>: Regarding the poor and undesirable situation of the library, museum and documentation center of the Islamic parliament concerning the use of TQM, and in order to improve the current situation and achieve a desired level of fulfillment of a comprehensive system, this study offers some suggestions.<br>
&nbsp;Leila TaherkhaniA Study of Consequences of Iran’s Joining the International Copyright Treaty from Tehran City Publishers' Viewpointhttp://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=218&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose:&nbsp; </strong>The present study aims to study Tehran city publishers' views about the consequences of Iran&rsquo;s joining the international copyright treaty.<br>
<strong>Method: </strong>An analytical survey method was used as the research method. For the data collection, a researcher-made questionnaire was used. The statistical population of this research was Tehran city active publishers. The selected sample was 113 publishers. The response rate was 100 (88.5%).<br>
<strong>Findings: </strong>Despite the Tehran city publishers' viewpoint that Iran&rsquo;s joining&nbsp; the copyright international treaty&nbsp; increases translated book prices, it has&nbsp; overall positive economic, social, scientific, and cultural effects on&nbsp; the country. Also, it has positive effects on the translation system of written works, Iran copyright laws, authors, and producers, finally, in the long run; it will improve the country&rsquo;s publishing industry. Most Tehran city publishers agree with the joining of Iran to the copyright international treaty.<br>
<strong>Originality/Value: </strong>The studies conducted on this research subject are mostly in a documentary form;&nbsp;&nbsp; there are only two pieces of research in a survey form to study expert views in library science (Nouroozi, 1380) and communication (Ghassemi, 1387). Regarding the lack of any direct relationship between these two groups and the copyright, the study of publishers' views, which has a direct relationship with copyright laws and is highly affected by the consequences of incorporation of Iran to the international laws, comes to be of&nbsp;&nbsp; necessity.<br>
&nbsp;Shahimehsadat HosseiniA Comparative Evaluation of the Management Function of Public Libraries Affiliated to Municipality, Iran Public Libraries Foundation, Oughaf and Charity Organization in the City of Esfehanhttp://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=219&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose:</strong> This research aims to evaluate the management performance of public libraries affiliated to municipality, public libraries foundation and Oughaf and charity organization in the city of Esfehan based on EFQM in order to improve the management quality in public libraries by identifying strengths and the weak points.<br>
<strong>Method:</strong> This is a descriptive analytical study. The population included all the 140 library managers and public libraries librarians in the city of Esfehan. The response rate was 125.<br>
<strong>Findings:</strong> The findings indicate that, regarding the 1000 points for the EFQM model, the municipality public libraries with 574.05 scores, public libraries of Oughaf and charity affaires general office with 557.61 scores and public libraries of the public libraries foundation with 546.86 scores are at an average level. Statistical tests showed that, regarding the EFQM criteria, there was no significant difference among the management function of the three groups of the public libraries under study.<br>
<strong>Originality/Value:</strong> Since public libraries play an important role in achieving the cultural goals of a society, proper management of these libraries has special importance in today&rsquo;s modern societies. This research, drawing a clear image of management function quality of public libraries in the city of Esfehan, tries to provide a necessary documentary research base in order to enhance the public library management system.<br>
&nbsp;Najla HaririA Study of the Status of Human Resources in the Iran Public Libraries Foundation from the Point of View of Knowledge Managementhttp://publij.ir/browse.php?a_id=220&sid=1&slc_lang=en
<strong>Purpose: </strong>The present research aims to study the man power status of the head office of public libraries foundation. It also aims to study the performance of the foundation in knowledge convergence processes among the staff.<br>
<strong>Method: </strong>This research is a survey method. The research population included all the staff of the central office (headquarters) of the public library foundation (managers and staff).&nbsp; There was no sampling. The research tool for the data collection was a researcher-made questionnaire including 8 items and 46 closed questions.<br>
<strong>Finding: </strong>The findings show that the index of &quot;staff individual tacit knowledge&quot; has the highest average. Also, the indexes of &quot;organization revealed knowledge&quot; and &quot;convergence of revealed knowledge to tacit knowledge&rdquo; have the lowest average.<br>
<strong>Originality/Value: </strong>A study of the knowledge management literature shows that very few research works have been conducted on knowledge management in public libraries. In this research, in addition to preparing a questionnaire for kinds of knowledge, knowledge production processes, and knowledge convergence based on Nonaka, the status of human resources is studied in the head office of public library foundation. At the end, according to the findings, some appropriate guide lines have been presented for developing knowledge and man power function in relation with knowledge convergence processes.Hamideh Gohari